High-resolution, full color images available online
Search, browse, read, and print yearbook pages
View college, high school, and military yearbooks
Browse our digital annual library spanning centuries
Support the schools in our program by subscribing
Privacy, as we do not track users or sell information
Page 5 text:
“
THE KEEN KEENER OF 1970 Published by the Senior Class Volume XXXIV DEMOTTE HIGH SCHOOL DeMotte, Indiana
”
Page 6 text:
“
Keener Twp. School History (Read at the dedication exercises of the new Keener Twp. School building, Oct. 20, 1936.) (By Mrs. Charity M. Wolff) January 9th, 1821, the General Assembly of the state of Indiana provided against “any distinction between rich and poor,” as to their opportunity for free education, which eventuated in the first General School Law of Indiana. Almost every session of the Legislature witnessed the passage of some special or general law relative to school interests in the state. The difficulties in the way of early progress of the school system were numerous and for a time almost in- surmountable. Funds for the paying of teachers and for the erection of school buildings were lacking; qualified teachers were difficult to find, school districts were sparsely settled, school funds were mis-managec and more fatal than all was a strange prejudice against popular education, under the name of “free schools.” The early settlers of Jasper county were progressive and kept pace with the general sentiment of the state in their appreciation of the advantages of good schools. Long before the state could give sufficient financial aid the people had solved the problems for themselves by erecting log school-cabins and maintaining their schools by popular subscription. The pioneers furnished the logs for both furniture and buildings. By the house-raising method they built log cabins and each patron paid the expense in proportion to the number of children, but anything the settler had was valuable, and by exchange the farmer’s produce and live stock was transformed into the children’s education. Barkley Settlement, in Barkley township, had its first school in 1838 and ’39; Blue Grass Settlement opened its school in 1840-41; Rensselaer’s first school was opened during the winter of 1841-42. The slow growth of population deferred the development of these early schools to such an extent that by 1853 there were only eight schools in the combined territory of the present counties of Jasper and Newton. One of these eight schools was the Corn School, District No. 1, in Keener township, located near Wind Mill Hill, about three miles due west of DeMotte. In 1867 the Tyler School, District No. 2, was built one mile north and one mile east of DeMotte. A third district school was erected in 1876 to be known as Center School, District No. 3, located nearly due west of DeMotte, on the land now known as the Frank Mosier farm. In the meantime, the centers of population had shifted. The Corn School, No. 1, was abandoned and the Gleason School replaced it as District No. 1. At this time the schools were partly supported by subscription and by the interested families boarding the teachers their portion of the time, trying at that early date to balance the budget. This was also the time when the spiritual needs of the people were still cared for by the preachers of the Circuit Rider Conference. The school houses were used as churches and general community centers. 2
Are you trying to find old school friends, old classmates, fellow servicemen or shipmates? Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Relive homecoming, prom, graduation, and other moments on campus captured in yearbook pictures. Revisit your fraternity or sorority and see familiar places. See members of old school clubs and relive old times. Start your search today!
Looking for old family members and relatives? Do you want to find pictures of parents or grandparents when they were in school? Want to find out what hairstyle was popular in the 1920s? E-Yearbook.com has a wealth of genealogy information spanning over a century for many schools with full text search. Use our online Genealogy Resource to uncover history quickly!
Are you planning a reunion and need assistance? E-Yearbook.com can help you with scanning and providing access to yearbook images for promotional materials and activities. We can provide you with an electronic version of your yearbook that can assist you with reunion planning. E-Yearbook.com will also publish the yearbook images online for people to share and enjoy.
